The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2022, has brought out differences in the schooling of parents in rural districts and how this could impact the learnings of the school-going children.
The national-level study shows that in 2022, 33.7% of mothers in India do not have any schooling. This is the highest in Rajasthan where 53.4% of mothers never went to school. It has, however, reduced from 64.5% in 2018. Rajasthan is followed by Bihar (49.4%), Arunachal Pradesh (47.9%), Jharkhand (46.5%), and Uttar Pradesh (46.4%).
In Rajasthan, only 8.2% of rural mothers have studied above the 10th Standard, with 22.5% above the sixth standard, and 15.9% from first to sixth standard. In Rajasthan, 8.8% of children in the age group of 15-16 are not enrolled in any schools, in 2022.
Kerala, on the other hand, has the least number of uneducated rural mothers, with 0.7% of mothers who never went to school. Kerala is followed by Himachal Pradesh (7.0%), Tamil Nadu (8.7%), and Tripura (12.1%).
In Kerala, 62.3% of mothers have studied above the 10th standard, with 35.8% above the sixth standard and 1.2% from first to sixth standard.
ASER is a household survey conducted across 616 rural districts and covers 6.9 lakh children in the age group of 3 to 16 years to record their schooling status and assess their basic reading and arithmetic skills. The report is being brought out after four years and records the impact of school closures in 2020 and 2021, as well as the return to school of children in 2022.
The study further shows that in 2022, 20.8% of rural fathers in India do not have any schooling. This is the highest in the State of Meghalaya where 33% of fathers did not attend school. It has reduced from 43.7% in 2018. Meghalaya is followed by Jharkhand (31.3%), Arunachal Pradesh (30.8%), Bihar (29.6%).
In Meghalaya, only 10.4% of fathers have studied above the 10th Standard, with 35.7% above the sixth standard, and 21% from the first to sixth standard. In Meghalaya, in the age group of 15-16, 9.2% of children are not enrolled in schools.
Kerala, on the other hand, has the least number of uneducated rural fathers, with 0.8% of fathers with no schooling. Kerala is followed by Himachal Pradesh (2.9%), Maharashtra (8.6%), and Mizoram (9.2%).
Kerala has fared well in these categories as well. In 2022, only 0.4% of children in the age group of 15-16 are not enrolled in any schools.
